What are your thoughts about Meachem ? I mean why was he such a good deep threat when he was in NO and he suddenly became irrelevant in SD ? Was he overrated in NO (ie. he was shining only because of Drew Brees) or he just doesn't fit into the SD system ?

I think it's a little of everything. First off he wasn't that great in NO if you look back. Also as I remember guys on this site back when we signed him talking about him being a body catcher. That doesn't fit with Rivers go and get it throws. Don't get me wrong I think he has talent and can be good but I think he'll be stuck behind many WR's in are system who are a much better fit/talent. I think DA,V Brown, K. Allen (AKA the Raider fan), and Floyd will push him back on the depth chart. Unless he really impresses the new coaches I think he's out of SD._________________gotta win the lottery so I can move back to San Diego

The LBCJoined: 12 Jan 2008Posts: 33702Location: Where We Can't Have Nice Things

Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:41 pm Post subject:

Wilkieray really hit it on the head. Even in New Orleans he was at best the #3 option (his last season he was pretty much competing with Lance Moore for that #4 spot when everyone was healthy with Colston, Graham, and Sproles definitively ahead of both the other two... and Devery Henderson still getting deep looks). But also, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers are different types of passers when they're playing their game to a "T". Brees is a "right on the numbers" guy - he'll fit that ball through a window and put it right on the numbers with gusto meaning that if the defender doesn't jump the route, he's got a better chance of knocking the ball away than intercepting it (typically why most of Brees' INT's tend to come off of either tipped balls or receivers failing to secure the catch and defenders seizing opportunity). Rivers is the type to "throw guys open" (at least when he can step into throws), in that he'll put the ball where only his guy can get it, lead them or the route away from the defender's path/trail and rely on the receiver to track the ball and make the catch (typically away from their body as they'll have to extend - look at where Malcom Floyd and Antonio Gates have made their bread and butter... there's definitely a common theme).

Meachem is really just a bad fit and was more or less a "panic buy," not so much panic for the necessity of the team unit (this part is my personal opinion) but rather as a salve to the fans for having let a former Pro Bowler walk in free agency (be there valid reasons to do so or not). We saw AJ Smith do the exact same thing when he moved up in the order to draft Ryan Mathews the year following letting LaDainian Tomlinson receive his walking papers. Meachem was a recognizable name to Chargers fans because he was someone whom many fans had been eyeing as a potential draft pick for us the year we ended up with Buster Davis (we'll never know if Meach would have been the pick or not because the Saints selected him ahead of our pick). And no doubt he was viewed as a "deep threat" which appealed to Norv who seemed intent, come hell or high water, on living and dying by the deep ball last season - ultimately to the detriment of the team and the potential long-term health of his franchise QB given that the offensive line was average at best to begin with and then was decimated by injuries (and one lazy SOB)._________________

Meachem can still be good but he has to be in an explosive offense like New Orleans with a lot of talent around him to help take attention off him...he was always a product of the system Imo..._________________

Also worth noting along with what everyone else has said (Injuries, not being great in the first place, or being a bad fit here/with Rivers), kind of actually going with injuries though. A few "sources close to Meachem" said that he was almost completely broken down, didn't have the size/speed/qickness that made him such a valuable deep threat previously._________________

MrDrew wrote:

Everything about Rivers is Awkward, reminiscent of a Giraffe with Down's Syndrome